Cigar-bunch slitter.



L. RUSENBERG.

GIGAE BUNCH SLITTBR.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 7, 1913.

1,092,172, Patented Apr. 7, 1914 VIII/I IIA il ED LOUIS ROSENBERG, 0F CHELSEA, MASSACHUSETTS.

cIGARfBUNcH sLITTEn.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Iatented Apr. 7, 1914.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Louis RosnNBnRG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chelsea, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Cigar-Bunch Slitters, of which the following is a specification.

In the manufacture of cigars, it is customary to press a bundle of tobacco in a cigar-shaped mold before the wrapper is applied, the compressed bundle being usually termed a bunch. These molds are usually tapered at one end, so that the correspondingly tapered end of the bunch is compressed to a much greater extent than the other portions, which causes the tobacco at said tapered end to be pressed together so closely that the smoke cannot be drawn through the cigar. To overcome this difliculty it is customary to manipulate this portion of the bunch, in some way, before the wrapper is applied, so that the tobacco will be less closely compacted. This operation has been performed by cigar-makers in several ways, by biting said end portion with the front teeth, which is an especially objectionable method, and in violation of the health regulations, and also by manipulating said portion with the fingers, which method is slow, and also causes the ngers to become sore.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple device which will readily loosen the more highly compressed tobacco, without aecting its shape, so that the passage of air or smoke therethrough will be permitted after the cigar has been wrapped. I accomplish these objects by providing a device which acts to cut one or more longitudinal slits in the end portion of the cigar without injury thereto.

For a more complete understanding of my invention reference is made to the accompanying drawing, in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my device. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a central vertical section on the line 3-3 of Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a plan view showing the top member removed. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the parts in a different position. Fig. 6 is a detail view showing the position of the knives when cutting.

As shown in the drawing, the device comprises a metal base a having a cap b, of inverted cup-shaped form, telescopically mounted to slide vertically thereon. Said cup and base are preferably of cylindrical form and said cup is provided with a central aperture b. A. guiding tube c is mounted on the outside of the cap b, in register with said aperture Z2. Said base is provided with a centrally disposed recess of, in which a tubular support d is mounted to move vertically, said support having a coiled spring e arranged therein, which rests at its lower end on the bottom of said recess a and engages an inturned rim CZ at the upper end of said support, and normally holds said support some distance above the bottom of recess a', as shown in'Fig. 3. A series of knives f, g and It, of angular form, are pivotally mounted in the base t to swing vertically on pivots 7l, which pass through the shank portions thereof, said knives each extending upwardly from its pivot and obliquely toward the middle of said support d, the lower edges thereof resting on the upper end of said support at some distance above the level of said pivots d. The spring e, by moving the support al upwardly, causes the upper edges of said knives f, 9', it to be pressed against the under side of said cap so that said cap is held in the normally elevated position of Fig. 8, the upward movement of said cap being limited by a series of bolts 7c which are secured in said cap, and are mounted to reciprocate in apertures a2 in the base a, the heads of said bolts thereof being adapted to engage shoulders c3 in said apertures to limit the upward movement thereof. The ends of said knives f, g and h are provided with sharp cutting edges which extend at approximately right angles to the sides thereof, and, when held in their normal positions are held somewhat inclined to the vertical, as shown in Fig. 3, in which position they are withdrawn to one side of opening in the support b. Then the tapered end of a cigar is inserted in the guiding tube c and passed through the opening b, so that its end extends into the opening end of the support d, it will be held in a central vertical position with relation to the device, as indicated in Fig. 5. Said knives i7, g and 7L are arranged approximately radially with relation to the central longitudinal line of this position, to swing in planes which are parallel and approximately intersect said line. As shown' in Figs. il and 6, I preferably arrange the knife f to move in a plane which intersects the center line of the cigar, and bisects the angle between the planes of movement of the other two knives which extend convergently at an acute angle, and in approximately radial directions with relation to said center line of said position, but slightly to one side thereof, so that the knife f, which is arranged to move in opposition to the knives g and h, may pass between them, as shown in Fig. 6, when they are all simultaneously advanced. With this arrangement the edges of the knives will not engage each other.

When using the device, a cigar bunch is inserted therein, as shown in Fig. 5, the cap b is depressed, causing the knives to be swung downwardly and inwardly to the horizontal position of Fig. 5, and causing them to enter the end-portion of the cigar and cut a corresponding number of slits therein. Theknife f, by operating in opposition to the other two knives, prevents any appreciable transverse strain or disintegrating effect on the cigar, but the tobacco is suiciently loosened to permit the passage of smoke after the wrapper has been applied.

l claim A cigar end slitter comprising a receiver Vfor the tapered end-portion of the cigar arranged to hold the same in a predetermined position, a set of three knives Ino-vable to advance the cutting edges thereof toward said'position, to cut longitudinal slits in the cigar held therein, two of said knives being movable in convergent paths at opposite sides of the center line of said position and the other knife being movable oppositely thereto in a path which bisects the angle between said pathsand intersects said center line, whereby said blades may pass the center of the cigar without encoun` tering each other, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LOUIS ROSENBERG.

lVitnesses L. H. HARRIMAN, H. B. DAVIS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing` the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 1). C. 

